Regulus Black (mummys_boy) wrote in snark_n_bark, @ 2008-07-11 06:16:00 |
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Entry tags: | complete, gaius, regulus |
An Unwelcome Visit
Characters: Gaius, Regulus
Summary: Anubis is taken somewhere he really doesn't want to go - the vet.
Cradled comfortably in Regulus' arms - and swathed in a blue silk blanket, no less - Anubis gazed at the passersby in Diagon Alley, enjoying the outing and Regulus' pampering. He wasn't quite certain what Regulus' intended destination was, but it really didn't matter. He was perfectly content to let his human wander as he would, so long as he took Anubis along for the ride.
The day was warm, and Anubis yawned, eyes slipping shut as he was lulled by the smoothness of Regulus' gait. Then Regulus entered a building, and Anubis cracked open one drowsy eye, vaguely curious as to where they were. Probably another business meeting, which was fine with him. Regulus' clients were easy to charm, and more than one had felt compelled to offer him a hastily conjured treat. But the scent in the air wasn't that of old furniture and rich fabric, but of cat and dog and other animals. Fully alert now, he gazed about, seeing that they weren't in a pet store, but approaching a desk where a young witch sat, smiling at them.
I have a very bad feeling about this!
Regulus approached the young woman and smiled. "I'm Regulus Black. I have an appointment at one o'clock for my cat."
"Ah, yes." She checked the records and nodded. "Please have a seat, and the healer will be with you shortly."
Cradling Anubis carefully to shield him from what appeared to be a particularly slobbery Labrador, Regulus sat down in the small waiting area and settled Anubis on his lap, fussily adjusting the blanket.
"Don't worry," he murmured, petting Anubis reassuringly. "This is nothing but a routine examination. I want to make certain you're in good health, that's all."
The exchange between Regulus and the woman confirmed Anubis' fears, and he looked up at Regulus with a doubtful expression. He wasn't worried about the exam - it was impossible to tell an Animagus from the real animal, after all - but this certainly wasn't something he was looking forward to. He knew he was healthy, probably healthier than any other cat in the world, but in a way Regulus' concern was touching. Short of changing back or running off, however, neither of which would make Regulus happy, there wasn't much he could do, so he sighed, then gave a grumpy huff, tail twitching as he sat and waited for the inevitable.
Amused by the huff, Regulus scratched Anubis' ears and sat back to wait. A few minutes later, the door near the receptionist opened, and the Healer - a specialist in animal medicine - peered out. She was a matronly witch with a warm smile, and Regulus' doubts about turning his special cat over to a stranger for examination faded; she looked kind and compassionate, and he felt she would handle Anubis with the care he deserved.
"Mr. Black?" She beckoned to him. "You can come back now."
Regulus gathered up Anubis and rose to his feet, following her to the examination room. It smelled of wet dog and antiseptic, and he couldn't help but wrinkle his nose. He placed Anubis on the metal table, taking care to spread out the blanket in case the table was too cold for Anubis' paws while the Healer looked on in amusement.
"What is..." She checked the chart. "His name?"
"Anubis," Regulus replied. "I found him roaming around Hogsmeade recently, and he followed me home. I just want to make certain he's all right."
She peered over her glasses at him. "You don't know how old he is, then?"
Regulus shook his head. "That's one thing that concerns me - his size. I think he's full grown, but he seems so small. I was a little worried his growth has been stunted."
"Well, we'll take a look, shall we?" She extended her hand to let Anubis sniff it, smiling warmly at him.
The smell made Anubis' nose wrinkle as well, and he was grateful for the blanket shielding him from the chill of the table. He listened to the exchange between Regulus and the Healer, then deigned to sniff the woman's fingers. It was rather amusing that Regulus was worried about his size; he hadn't had any choice about what his Animagus form had turned out to be, but he rather liked being little. It allowed him to slip in and out of places without attracting attention, a talent which was surprisingly useful to a professor, especially for checking up on students who might be up to no good.
"Mrow." Anubis sat down on the blanket, licking daintily at a paw. His tail still twitched, but he'd allow the exam. Perhaps later he could mewl pitifully and extort more fresh fish from his human.
Regulus stroked Anubis gently, and then he stepped back, not wanting to appear too hovery. "I've been feeding him regularly, but he hasn't gained much weight," he said. "But he gets plenty of exercise, so perhaps he burns it off."
"Likely so." The Healer drew her wand and began casting diagnostic spells. "He doesn't appear underfed, and you don't want him to gain too much weight," she added with a stern glance at Regulus. "Overweight pets often develop other health issues, you know."
Regulus nodded somberly, making a mental note to make certain Anubis didn't get fat from too many treats. "I'll be careful," he promised.
Thus far the exam wasn't too bad, but Anubis looked at Regulus, giving him a wide-eyed glance of mute appeal, as though he were suffering horribly. Then he was scooped up in the Healer's hands, which were gentle but firm. "You have a little ham here, I see," she observed, lips twitching as Anubis turned his head and gave her a pained look. "Oh, I know all about cats, little boy, so don't think you can use those feline wiles on me!"
Knowing when he'd met his match, Anubis relaxed at bit, letting the Healer look in his eyes and ears, and not nipping at her fingers when she urged his mouth open to look at his teeth and gums. Then she placed him back on the table, running her hands over his body, down each leg and over his stomach, then down the length of his tail. He endured the touch, turning to give Regulus another appealing glance; the Healer might not be susceptible to his looks, but Regulus seemed to be.
"That isn't hurting him, is it?" Regulus asked, trying not to sound fretful as he looked at Anubis, melting under the influence of Anubis' wide, pleading blue eyes.
The Healer gave him a fondly amused look. "No, of course not. He would just rather be back in your lap, that's all. Nothing is wounded but his dignity."
Nodding, Regulus settled down again, trying to resist the urge to scoop up Anubis and cradle him.
Anubis certainly would prefer to be in Regulus' lap, and from Regulus' expression, he'd prefer that as well. The Healer finished up her exam, then handed Anubis back to his owner. Pulling her wand once more, she cast a cleaning charm on her hands.
"He's very healthy," she said, tucking the wand away once more. "And he's definitely full grown, although it's a little hard to pinpoint his age precisely. Perhaps three, possibly four at the most. He doesn't have any scars or missing teeth, which is most unusual for a stray. You found him, you say? Well, if he's been on his own, it certainly hasn't been for too long. He's well nourished, too, just very small. His parents must have been tiny, or else he was the runt of the litter."
"MROW!" Anubis protested the snub, his expression quite haughty as he stared at the Healer. She laughed, reaching out to stroke his ears. "Smart, too. Whatever he lacks in size, he seems to make up for in brains and charm."
"He's very clever," Regulus said proudly, holding Anubis close. He was pleased to know all was well; he'd been worried that perhaps there were internal problems from living as a stray for however long it had been even though Anubis looked healthy enough on the outside.
"It seems you're taking excellent care of him," the Healer said. "He's lucky you found him. My only suggestion would be to consider having him neutered. London is full of strays, and as lovely as this little gentleman is, we don't want him adding to the population."
The suggestion of neutering was entirely too much, but as intelligent as the Healer and Regulus considered him, it wouldn't do to overreact to her suggestion. Anubis immediately looked up at Regulus, his gaze full of trust, and purred loudly. If his charm didn't work, and Regulus agreed to this outrageous suggestion, he'd resort to violence. Cute and small he might be, but no one was going to get near him there with anything sharp and live to tell about it.
Regulus looked at the Healer with wide eyes, and he swallowed hard, something within him recoiling at the idea of depriving Anubis of his family jewels even though he knew it was the responsible thing to do.
"Er. I'll certainly consider it," he said weakly. Privately, he decided to keep a close eye on Anubis and make certain he didn't get out of the flat and have an opportunity to tom-cat around; that way, Anubis could keep his bits intact. There was more than one way to be a responsible pet owner, after all.
Anubis stepped up the purring a notch, relieved that Regulus wasn't jumping up and handing him over. He could hear the doubt in Regulus' voice, and he decided that once they were away from the Healer - who had dropped several notches in his opinion - Regulus would forget all about the crazy idea. As it was, however, he'd make certain not to give Regulus any reason to think he was in need of neutering.
"All right, you do that," the Healer said, lips twitching as she saw the hesitation in Regulus' eyes. No doubt it wasn't uncommon for males of any species to hesitate at relieving another male of his pride, and Anubis was glad that Regulus was a man's man.
"If there's nothing else...?" Regulus asked, and when the Healer shook her head, he smiled and moved toward the door. "Thank you. We'll be back when it's time for his next exam."
"Good. We'll send you a reminder by owl," she replied, nodding. "If you have any problems in the meantime, don't hesitate to bring him in."
"I will." Securing Anubis in his arms, Regulus gave Anubis a little squeeze and left the room. "Let's go home," he murmured in Anubis' ear. "You've been so good, you deserve a special treat, and I have some lovely fresh tuna waiting for you."
"MMMMMRrrrrrmmm." Anubis approved of that idea completely, and he purred as he snuggled down in Regulus' arms for the journey home. He didn't nap this time, however; he kept his eyes open so that he would know where they were going, just in case Regulus took it into his mind to do something even crazier than taking him to the Healer, such as going to the pet shop for a bath.